In this Feb. 9, 2012 file photo, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 waits to take off at Chicago's Midway Airport as another lands. / AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast

Written by

Nancy Trejos

USA TODAY

One of the most coveted jobs in the airline industry these days appears to be that of a flight attendant.

Southwest Airlines recently put out the call for 750 flight attendants. More than 10,000 people submitted résumés in about two hours, according to Bloomberg.

The Dallas-based company has not hired flight attendants externally since 2011.

"It was the first time we did that in a while, and of course anytime we do it, it's like opening up the floodgates," Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly told employees in a weekly recorded message last week, according to Bloomberg. "We knew it would be the same this time."

Southwest isn't the only airline that attracts huge interest when hiring attendants.

Last year, more than 20,000 applied for 1,500 flight attendant slots at American Airlines, which has just merged with US Airways. About 14,000 people applied for 420 spots when US Airways hired back in 2010. Delta Air Lines got 22,000 resumes for 300 jobs a year ago, Bloomberg reports.

Why the need for more flight attendants at Southwest? The airline will be adding larger Boeing 737-800s to its fleet, which require more flight attendants.

Flight attendants typically don't get paid much but they do get perks such as flying benefits if there are open seats.

Dan Landson, a Southwest spokesman, told Bloomberg that newly hired flight attendants earn about $24.39 an hour and work a minimum of 66 hours a month.